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THE TIBETAN QUESTION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[January 30, 1904. nations has never permitted interference at court, at whose mere growl the English- with the private affairs of one's neigh-man would at once drop on his kuces and Much has been said and written retire gracefully, refuse to give any reply, (Daily Press, 28th January,) as to the general astuteness of Russian and when pressed, like the little vulgar We have to sincerely thank the Russian diplomacy, If by this we
Russia, mean the boy, put his fingers to his nose. Press, which in this instince we may assume ability to gain her ends without who had already committed herself with as the equivalent of the Russian Govern. having recourse to warlike measures we the Khamba Lama, was thus placed in an ment, for the information is bas given us as may accept the phrase as a truism; it is awkward position familiar enough to b-gia- to the importance attaching in its eyes to otherwise if we come to analyse her methods, ners at the great game of poker. She found Tibet. For more than a hundred years we of recent years at all events. The art of herself with no alternative but either to have been content to be next-door neigh-diplomacy is generally accepted as implying show up her cards or carry 03 the bours to this most unfriendly of nations, the ability to conceal the weak points of a bluff. Unfortunately for her own reputa- and have never thought it worth our while policy and to succeed iù representing the tion she chose the latter. What promises to take any official notice of its peculiar worse as the better cause; in this Russia she has made to the Dalai Lama doe; not ideas of shutting itself off from cominunica has in her recent diplomacy most egregiously as yet appear, but unfortunately for the tion with the rest of the world. The situa-faile, and her success-s have been due to game the British Government has for ouce tion was in fact very much like that of her proficiency in the art of bullying the taken heart of grace, and has continued its DANIEL and the lions-DANIEL did not weaker. Against a weak and corrupt Power advance. Now comes in the most interesting care a stiver for the lions, and the lions did as China, it is true, this policy has been part of the whole; stung by the conspicuous not care a stiver for DANIEL, In all this we eminently successful, but it is at best a wast of success of her former moves, Russia, have committed a grave mistake, Tibet is dangerous game for the user. Tried with a with a rare belief in her dwy prowess, insteal really the key to our communications with Power possessing self-respect and able to of retreating, has apparently determined to China, and affords the only practical route see the whole of the game, it exposes her to persevere, and accordingly has been trying for a line of railway connecting India and having her own flank turned at any moment, on the worn out game of bully. All that the Flowery Land. What is Russia's in- and all the tome so when she is unable to would be necessary woull, she tells us, terest in Tibet, and why she should give us show that she has come into the contest with through the Novoe Vremya, be to exercise a this, doubtless disinterested, information, is, clean hands. In this respect she stands a "little pressure upon cert in points" and however, not so apparent. Russia's point had chance when pittel against such a create a slight diversion in some directions of nearest approach to Tibet is the highest Power as Japan, not to say Britain. Japan that would be disagreeable to British poli- crest of the mountains over the Chitral has sufficient astuteness and knowledge of ticians! Unfortunately for her own game valley, where the distance as the crow flies the game to be able to comprehend that she has been rather premature. Relying on is-some four hundred miles, and that over Russia, as she stands to-day, whatever power the presumed geographical ignorance of her the highest mountain range in the world: she may have of annoyance, is incapable of former confiding friend, France, she has the route is, moreover, in Afghan and in striking, and by her senseless threats only told her that the presence of England in British hands, and, it may be added, his brings contempt on herse f. This has been Tibet is only to complete her communications never been traversed by mortal man, On accentuated in her recent correspondence, with the Yangtsz. Valley by opening a line the north Ru-sian, territory is divided from 'ånd her weakness has been amply shown in of railway throug the coveted possession. Tibby some six hundred miles of moun- her last contest of wits. She condescendingly Times have unfortunately changed, and her tain and dee:t, which are, moreover, in offered Japan certain concessions in Corea, French allies, who know pretty well all the possession of China. The intermediate forgetting apparently that Corea was not available ways of entrance to western China countries are, besides, amongst the most hers to dispose of. Japan saw the weak are not likely to be startled by a project, impracticable on the face of the earth; and spot at once, and was not slow to take ad-even on the authority of Russia, or become this not so much on account of the un- vantage of it. The dispute was not about believers in the feasibility of a railway at friendly character of the populations as Corea at all, she replied-it was about Rus- an average elevation of 12,000 feet, and from physical causes of climate and confi.sian encroachment in Manchuria; what she crossing passes still higher, which are, guration. Recent travellers, both English required was that Russia should give effect moreover, blocked by snow for nine months and Russian, have experienced these difficul to her reiterated engagement with respect in the year: In fact, the extraordinary ties of the road, and have found many to its evacuation. That was the purport of | means that Russia is driven to to maintain thousands of square miles of the intervening her Note. After this she took the opportun-her former positiu u Cntral Asia are an country absolutely without inhabitants, ity of suggesting that Russia should be owing to its enormous elevation, from quick about it, Russia had been assiduous- 11,000 to 14.000 feet, preventing the growth y seeking to force Japan into taking the of the ordinary food-crops, as well as render first step towards a breach of the peace; ing travelling both difficult and dangerous. she found the tables most effectively turned Russia's great traveller, PREJEVALSKY,. in against herself. A similar blunder has been crossing these wastes ou more than one made with regard to Britain, and it is to be occasion had to retire before the difficulty of hoped it will be met in an equally effective the roads, and it would be absurd to sup- manner. To go back a little, we spoke pose that what a well-equipped voyager, above of Russia's showing of her hand with with every appliance for overcoming difficul- regard to Tibet. It is interesting to mark ties, was unable to accomplish, could in the the excuse given on behalf of Russia for ordinary course of traffic become a high meddling in the affairs of that country; road for intercourse. Russia, in point of there happens to exist in a remote corner fact, has no legitimate inter, st whatever in of Mongolia a Hamaist monastery which Tibet, and in her querulous protest that a possesses a real live BUDDHA in touch with British occupation would stand in the way him of Lhassa. England of course has of her communications with China, she ufany religious communities in her midst somewhat naively lets the cat out of the holding obedience to the Pope, but no Eug- bag, and shows how the interest she has lishman in his wildest moments ever thought been lately taking in these remote districts is that this entitled him to interfere between really actuated by consideratious purely the King of Italy and the Pope. Well, it aggressive.
sems that at the instigation of some Rus Very much the same may be said of her sin agent the BUDDHA of Khamba ha ill-humour over the recent visit of Lord besu preaching to bim of Lhassa, and offer- CURZON to the Persian Gulf. It is not ing him the friendship of Russia if he will customary in the intercourse of civilised only-turn out the objectionable English. Such nations to exhibit ill-will over actions legi- | is the amount of interest in Tibet possessed' timate in themselves, and strictly in accor- by Russia. Acting on tuis, the Dalai Laina dance with international practice undertaken was ustigated to send a mission to Russia by another Power. We have not considered -according to the usual Russian formula ourselves called on to interfere in Russia's" for commercial purposes only. Having breaches of solemn engagements, as, for istance, in her recent actions in, Finland. It would be easy to prove that our own interests in Finland are really very exten- sive-far more so than those of Russia in either Persia őr Tibet. The courtesy of
so got in the edge of the wedge, Russia al once begins the modern game. Britain, finding out what was going on, reminded the Dala: Laua of his former promises about demarking the frontier.-He of Lhasa, thinking be bad now got a powerful friend
u witting confession how weak is her pre ent bold, and how that cmscience that makes cowards of us all tells her that day of restitution is at hd when she will have to disgorge in turn her ill-tu plund ·r. Such, she feels, will be the effect if her first check, and it is th: thought of this that is forcing her to forget her ordinary pru tence.
THE KWANGSI TROUBLES.
(Daily Press, 26th January.) There is a certain amount of news which goes to Shanghai about affairs in South China which never reaches Hongkong. That it is news in the best sense of the word is improbable. A point to be noticed about it is that it is invariably hostile to the Chinese Government, and hence we may infer that it is dispatched to the Shangnai native papers (about whose sentiments toward the central authorities at Peking there is no doubt) by those who are classed "Reformers " Now with the together as
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real Reform party in China we have every sympathy and trust one day to see triumph in their crusade against the abuseS of government in their native country. it must be recognised that under the shelter- ing name of Reformer there are in China, especially in the South, many disreputable elemeats, who by their claim to the name only bring discredit upon the sincerer members of the party. Judging by the quality of the mass of information which reaches Shanghai from Canton with regard
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